Device and method for fracturing a container and container comprising such a device
Provided is an expandable device for fracturing a container for liquids, for example beverages, in particular alcoholic beverages, made of glass or a similar material, wherein the device has a first retracted position according to which the device can be accommodated at least partially in a recess at a bottom section of the container without causing fracture to the container and a second extended position according to which the device is able to cause a fracture at a bottom section of the container by impact against a solid surface such as a table, with the aim to prevent reuse or recycle of the container, for example with adulterated beverages.
This application claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/IB2016/054983, having a filing date of Aug. 19, 2016, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGYThe following relates to a device for fracturing at least partially a container, in particular for fracturing a bottom section of a container, which is made of glass or a similar material and which contains liquids such as beverages, in particular alcoholic beverages; wherein the device has a first retracted position and a second extended position; and wherein the device is able to fracture the bottom section of the container when it is in the second extended position once the container has been emptied in order to prevent reuse or recycling of the container.
The following also relates to a method to use the device in conjunction with a container to cause a fracture at the bottom of said container to prevent reuse or recycling of the container.
The following also relates to a container for liquid products such as beverages, in particular alcoholic beverages, the bottom section of which has a recess for at least partially accommodating the device according to embodiments of the invention.
Sale of adulterated alcoholic beverages is a worldwide problematic not only from the economical viewpoint, since lower prices of such beverages often results in being more attractive for consumers than authentic beverages, but also from the consumer's health viewpoint because adulterated alcoholic beverages generally, if not always, contain methanol (methyl alcohol) which is highly toxic even in lower amounts and lethal in greater amounts. Indeed, intake of adulterated alcohol may cause temporary or even permanent alterations including headaches, liver damage, blindness and death.
It is estimated that 4 in 10 bottles present in the worldwide market contain adulterated alcohol, which traduces in millions of liters of adulterated beverages around the globe, which also traduces in millionaire losses to producers, merchants and governments as well.
Both governments and producers have developed throughout several years numerous techniques with the aim to avoid these economical losses and to reduce risks to public health, the most relevant of which are directed, on the one hand, to closures or lids that prevent refill of the bottle and, on the other hand, to unforgeable seals or labels that authenticate the bottle and of course its contents. In fact, in the state of art, many documents are known which disclose inviolable closures and lids that prevent refill of a bottle and that make evident reuse thereof, as well as methods and techniques for labeling and/or sealing alcoholic beverage bottles.
Despite these techniques, there can still be found in the market adulterated bottles given that it is relatively easy to reuse or “recycle” an authentic bottle with adulterated alcohol once it has been emptied.
Therefore, there is a need for alternative solutions to prevent reuse or recycling of authentic bottles with adulterated beverages.
BACKGROUNDIn this respect, there are known in the state-of-the-art machines and devices for breaking bottles to produce raw material for glass recycling. For instance, documents DE202004017402U1, EP1023943A2, IES2006/0701A2, U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,265, US2006/0108461A1 and WO2010/004263A1 describe industry machines for breaking glass bottles by means of rotary bars or blades inside a housing in which the bottles enter or fall by gravity. However, these machines are intended for handling and processing great amounts of bottles and for generating raw material for glass recycling, whereby these machines are inadequate to be used, for example, at home directly by the consumer of the bottle.
On the other hand, documents MX/a/2013/006835 and WO2007/129877A2 disclose apparatuses for cutting bottles by using a bottle holder mechanism and fixed cutters that cut the bottle from the outside when the bottle is caused to rotate about its longitudinal axis. Similarly, documents U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,572,564 and 3,744,692 describe devices for cutting sections of a glass bottle either from the inside or from the outside of the bottle by using a manual or automatic tool while the bottle is caused to rotate about its longitudinal axis. However, all these devices are disadvantageous in that they require complex means to maintain the bottle fixed and cause the same to rotate; further, these apparatuses also require cutting means or a cutter that can be dangerous for a user.
SUMMARYAn aspect relates to a device for fracturing in a safe manner at least a portion of a container, in particular a bottle made of glass or similar material such as ceramic, once it has been emptied to prevent reuse or recycling thereof.
In another aspect of embodiments of the invention, it is described a device for fracturing at least a section of a container, where the device is designed in such a manner that its shape and size allow the same to be placed in a safe manner inside a recess at the bottom section of the container without causing any fracture.
In still another aspect of embodiments of the invention, it is described a device able to be placed at the bottom section of a container and capable of extending by the action of rotation by the user of at least one portion of the device and further rotation causes the device to remain in an extended position thus being able to be hit against a solid surface, such as a table, to cause a fracture on at least a portion of the bottom section of the container.
In still another aspect of embodiments of the invention, it is described a method to use a device for fracturing at least a portion of a container, such as a bottle made of glass or a similar material, to avoid reuse or recycling of the container.
In yet another aspect of embodiments of the invention, it is described a container having a bottom section which is designed in such a manner to at least partially accommodate a device in accordance with at least one aspect of embodiments of the invention.
Some of the embodiments will be described in detail, with references to the following Figures, wherein like designations denote like members, wherein:
Bottles containing beverages of the aforementioned type can be easily reused or recycled given that it is relatively easy to refill the bottle with adulterated beverages and forge security means currently available such as labels and seals of the bottle lid.
Consequently, according to a first embodiment, it is described a device which can be arranged in a fixed or removable manner at the bottom section of a container so that, on the one hand, when the device is in a retracted position, it remains accommodated inside said bottom section of the container, and on the other hand, when the device is in an extended position, it protrudes at least partially out of said bottom section of the container thus allowing a user to hit the device against a solid surface such as a table thereby causing in a targeted and safe manner a fracture on the bottom section of the container, thus preventing the container from being reused or recycled with any other contents because the container will inevitably leak.
Turning now to
As shown in
As shown in
Device 1 comprises an outer body 10 and an inner body 20 which can rotate and slide relative the outer body 10 to be displaced from a retracted position to an extended position. Inner body 20 and outer body 10 are designed such that they can engage with one another thus forming a structure that is able to transmit impact forces from one another and such that inner body 20 is able to maintain a retracted or extended position relative the outer body 10.
It can also be seen that device 1 further comprises an elastic member 30 which is configured to drive the inner body 20 inside and relative the outer body 10 during the movement of the inner body 20 from a retracted position to an extended position as described below.
Inner body 20 further comprises a protrusion 24 at an upper end of cylindrical body 21. Protrusion 24 can accommodate at least partially the elastic member 30 when the inner body 20 is mounted inside the outer body 10.
Diameter D22 of radial ribs 22 is equal to diameter D23 of radial ribs 23, such that D22=D23. Cylindrical body 21 has a diameter D21 is the same along its entire length.
By way of example, in embodiments of the invention, angle α1 is equal to 86°±5°; angle α2 is equal to 94°±5°; diameter D21 is equal to 3.8 mm±0.2 mm; and diameter D22=diameter D23 is equal to 5.8 mm±0.2 mm.
Turning now to
By way of example, in embodiments of the invention, angle 131 is equal to 15°±5°; diameter D15 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm; diameter D11-IN is equal 6.2 mm±0.2 mm; and diameter D11-OUT is equal to 8.0 mm±0.2 mm.
By way of example, angle γ1 is equal to 75°±5°, and diameter D14 is equal to 3.8 mm±0.2 mm.
By way of example, angle γ2 is equal to 75°±5°, and diameter D13 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm.
On the other hand, diameter D15 of radial ribs 15 of outer body 10 is greater than diameter D21 of cylindrical body 21 of inner body 20, such that D15>D21. Further, inner diameter D11-IN of hollow body 11 of outer body 10 is greater than the diameter D22 and D23 of radial ribs 22, 23 respectively, such that D22<D11-IN>D23. Moreover, as mentioned above in relation to
Turning now to
Furthermore, at least one pair of radial ribs 22 lies outside the outer body 10 which, in use, allow a user to rotate the inner body 20 relative the outer body 10 as described below in relation to
Subsequently, as shown in
Accordingly, inner body 20 cannot pass through the space which is not covered by the radial ribs 14 of outer body 10; consequently, at least a section of inner body 20 is retained inside outer body 10. At this position, user is able to cause rotation of the inner body 20 relative the outer body 10 in a second direction opposite to that shown in
After causing a fracture at the bottom section of container C, user can discard the container to trash being sure that said container cannot be reused or recycled with any other contents because the container would inevitably leak.
Device 100 comprises an outer body 110 and an inner body 120 which can rotate and slide inside and relative the outer body 110. Outer body 110 comprises a hollow body 111, which for example has an essentially cylindrical shape with an inner diameter D11-IN and an outer diameter D11-OUT, and a head 112 at one end of the hollow body 111. Head 112 for example is conically shaped such that it can direct in a targeted manner all forces applied to it at a tip 112a of said head 112, thus being able to cause a fracture to the housing H of container C as previously explained.
As shown in
By way of example, in embodiments of the invention, angle β1 is equal to 15°±5°; diameter D15 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm; angle γ2 is equal to 75°±5°; diameter D13 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm; angle γ1 is equal to 75°±5°; diameter D14 is equal to 3.8 mm±0.2 mm. Diameter D11-IN is equal 6.2 mm 0.2 mm; and diameter D11-OUT is equal to 8.0 mm±0.2 mm;
Hollow body 111 further includes a blind hole 116 and a protrusion 17 which are configured to accommodate at least partially an elastic member 30 as depicted in
Furthermore, as shown in
Turning now to
Each radial rib 122 is designed as a semi-circumferential protrusion having a diameter D22. Further, each radial rib 123 is designed as a semi-circumferential protrusion having a diameter D23 (see
Inner body 120 further comprises a protrusion 124 at an upper end of cylindrical body 121 which can accommodate at least partially the elastic member (not shown) when the inner body 120 is mounted inside outer body 110. Again, the elastic member is configured to drive the inner body 120 inside and relative the outer body 10 during movement from a retracted position to an extended position.
Inner body 120 further comprises a notch 125 at a base section 126 of the inner body 120. Base section 126 has an essentially cylindrical shape including a plurality of grooves 127 which extend longitudinally. In use, the notch 125 can be manipulated by a user to cause rotation of the inner body 120 relative outer body 110 for example by using a finger nail, a coin or any other similar object. In addition, or alternatively, base section 126 can be manipulated by the user directly with his fingers because the grooves 127 assist in the gripping of said base section 126 to cause rotation of the inner body 120 relative the outer body 110.
Accordingly, a user is able to cause rotation of inner body 120 relative the outer body 110 by manipulating either or both of the notch 125 and base section 126 such that the radial ribs 122, 123 are able to pass through the spaces not covered by the radial ribs 113, 114, in the same manner as the radial ribs 22, 23 pass through the spaces not covered by the radial ribs 13, 14 of device 1 previously described.
Each radial rib 122, similar to radial ribs 22 of device 1 described above, encompasses or extends by an angle α1 and is configured as a semi-circumferential protrusion (see
Cylindrical body 121 has an outer diameter D21. Radial ribs 122 and 123 are configured having a diameter D22 and D23, respectively.
By way of example, in embodiments of the invention, angle α1 is equal to 86°±5°; angle α2 is equal to 94°±5°; diameter D21 is equal to 3.8 mm±0.2 mm; and diameter D22=diameter D23 is equal to 5.8 mm±0.2 mm.
In use of device according to embodiments of the invention, device 100 is in a retracted position as shown in
Subsequently, inner body 120 is driven by the elastic member outward outer body 110, i.e. from a retracted position to an extended position, until at least a portion of the radial ribs 123 encounter with at least a portion of the radial ribs 114 of outer body 110. Again, inner body 120 is prevented from going completely out of the outer body 110 because the angular extension α2 of the radial ribs 123 is greater than the space not covered by the radial ribs 114 at the bottom section of outer body 110. In this position, user can rotate inner body 120 relative outer body 110 in an opposite direction to the previous one, in this example clockwise, such that the radial ribs 122 and 123 that still remain inside the inner body 110 abut against some of the radial ribs 113 and 114 of outer body 110, whereby the device 100 retains its extended position.
Once device 100 is in an extended position as shown for example in
As already mentioned, a container having a fracture for example at the bottom section thereof, which is caused by the device according to embodiments of the invention cannot be used anymore with liquid products, such as adulterated beverages, because the container would inevitably leak.
On the other hand, outer bodies 10 and 110 of devices 1 and 100 respectively can be manufactured in one piece from plastic material, for example by injection molding, compression molding or three-dimensional printing. Similarly, inner bodies 20 and 120 of devices 1 and 100 respectively can be manufactured in one piece from a plastic material, for example by injection molding, compression molding or three-dimensional printing. Plastic material can be selected from acrylic, polyethylene terephtalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), nylon or any other similar material having high resistance to impacts. Further, plastic material can also be fiber-reinforced plastic or composite plastic.
Alternatively, outer bodies 10, 110, and inner bodies 20, 120, of devices 1 and 100 respectively can be manufactured from metal, for example aluminum, bronze, brass, steel or a similar material having strength sufficient to cause fractures to glass or ceramic materials. Outer and inner bodies made of metal can be produced for example by die casting or milling as adequate depending on the dimensions of the device.
Nevertheless, according to embodiments of the invention, it is also possible for the outer body of the device to be manufactured with at least two separate parts which can be assembled together to form an integral body. In this connection,
Device 200 comprises an outer body 210 and an inner body 220 which can rotate and slide relative the outer body 210. Outer body 210 comprises a hollow body 211 and a head 212 at one end of the hollow body 211. For example, hollow body 211 is cylindrically shaped having an inner diameter D11-IN and an outer diameter D11-OUT; and head 212 is conically shaped. In embodiments of the invention, unlike outer bodies 10 and 100 of devices 1 and 100 respectively, outer body 210 of device 200 is formed from a first part 210a and a second part 210b which can be assembled together to form an integral body 210.
As shown in
In addition, in the case of device being is made of plastic material, adhesive means can be also used to generate or improve coupling between the plurality of teeth 218a and the plurality of recesses 218b of the parts 210a and 210b. Alternatively, in the case of device being made of metal, either suitable adhesive means or adhesive or a welding technique can be used to generate the coupling between the plurality of teeth 218a and the plurality of recesses 218b of the parts 210a and 210b.
Each part 210a, 210b further comprises a plurality of radial ribs 213, 215 protruding inwardly from an inner wall of hollow body 211 and separated from each other at equal distances along a longitudinal section of the hollow body 211. Further, as shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
In position of inner body 220 relative the outer body 210 shown in
In addition, parts 210a and 210b form together a blind hole 216 which is configured, on the one hand, to at least partially accommodate an elastic member (not shown) which in turn is able to drive the inner body 220 from a retracted position to an extended position relative the outer body 210 and, on the other hand, to at least partially receive a projection 224 of inner body 220 (see
At least one of the first and second parts 210a, 210b further comprises a semi-circumferential projection 219 which is arranged next to at least one of the radial ribs 213 and which projects inwardly from the inner wall of hollow body 211. Said projection 219 has a semi-circumferential shape and has a diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter D11-IN of hollow body 211 but at the same time is greater than diameter D13 of the radial ribs 213 (see for example
Turning now to
Inner body 220 comprises a cylindrical body 221 and a plurality of radial ribs 223 protruding from an outer wall of the cylindrical body 221 and arranged separated at equal distances from each other along a longitudinal section and at opposite sides of the cylindrical body 221.
As shown in
By way of example, in embodiments of the invention, angle β1 is equal to 15°±5°; diameter D15 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm; diameter D11-IN is equal 6.2 mm±0.2 mm; diameter D11-OUT is equal to 8.0 mm±0.2 mm; angle γ2 is equal to 75°±5°; diameter D13 is equal to 4.2 mm±0.2 mm; angle α2 is equal to 94°±5°; diameter D21 is equal to 3.8 mm±0.2 mm; and diameter D23 is equal to 5.8 mm±0.2 mm.
Once again, the space not covered by the radial ribs 215 serves to accommodate the radial ribs 223 of inner body 220. Further, the radial ribs 215 also stop rotation of the inner body 220 relative the outer body 210 by coming into contact a side surface of the radial ribs 215 with a side surface of the radial ribs 223 (see for example
Returning to
In the position shown in
In use of the device 200, inner body 220 can be moved from a retracted position to an extended position in the following manner. In the position shown in
Once the inner body 220 projects sufficiently out of the outer body 210, user is able to cause further rotation of the inner body 220 relative the outer body 210 in a second direction opposite the first direction, for example clockwise, such that the radial ribs 223 of inner body 220 that are still inside the outer body 210 abut against the radial ribs 213 of outer body 210 (in a position similar to that shown in
Again, a container having a fracture caused by the device according to embodiments of the invention cannot be used anymore with liquid products because said container would inevitably leak.
Although the present invention has been disclosed in the form of preferred embodiments and variations thereon, it will be understood that numerous additional modifications and variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.
For the sake of clarity, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an” throughout this application does not exclude a plurality, and “comprising” does not exclude other steps or elements. The mention of a “unit” or a “module” does not preclude the use of more than one unit or module.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS
- 1, 100, 200 Device
- 10, 110, 210 Outer body
- 11, 111, 211 Hollow body of outer body
- 12, 112, 212 Head of outer body
- 12a, 112a Tip of head
- 13, 113, 213 Radial ribs of outer body
- 14, 114 Radial ribs of outer body
- 15, 115, 215 Radial ribs of outer body
- 16, 116, 216 Blind hole of outer body
- 17 Protrusion in blind hole of outer body
- 20, 120, 220 Inner body
- 21, 121, 221 Cylindrical body of inner body
- 22, 122 Radial ribs of inner body
- 23, 123, 223 Radial ribs of inner body
- 24, 124, 224 Protrusion at upper end of inner body
- 25, 125, 225 Notch at base section of inner body
- 26, 126, 226 Base section of inner body
- 127, 227 Grooves at base section of inner body
- 210a, 210b Parts of outer body 210
- 218a Teeth of outer body part 210a, 210b
- 218b Recesses of outer body part 210a, 210b
- 219 Projection of outer body 210
- 30 Elastic member
- B bottle known in the state of the art
- C container
- D distance the device protrudes from the base of the bottle B
- H housing for at least partially accommodating the device 1
- R recess
- X-X longitudinal axis
Claims
1. A device for fracturing a container made of glass or ceramic, wherein the device comprises:
- an outer body having a hollow body including a plurality of radial ribs protruding from an inner wall of the hollow body and arranged separated from each other at equal distances along a longitudinal section of said hollow body, wherein the hollow body includes a space between the outer body radial ribs, and a head integrally formed at one end of the hollow body, wherein the head has a conical shape including a tip, and the head comprises a blind hole at least partially receiving an elastic member, and
- an inner body having a base section, and a cylindrical body having a plurality of radial ribs protruding from an outer wall of said cylindrical body and arranged separated at equal distances from each other along a longitudinal section of said cylindrical body, wherein the inner body includes a space between the inner body radial ribs;
- wherein the inner body is rotatable relative the outer body through manipulation of the inner body base section by a user, wherein rotation of the inner body causes the inner body radial ribs to align with the space between the outer body radial ribs, and the elastic member drives the inner body from a retracted position to an extended position,
- wherein in the extended position, the user further rotates the inner body base section relative to the outer body such that the inner body radial ribs engage with the outer body radial ribs thus forming an engagement able to transmit an impact force applied on the inner body base section towards the head tip of the outer body.
2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow body is designed having one of a cylindrical, rectangular, hexagonal or octagonal shape.
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the blind hole comprises a protrusion and a side wall, wherein an end section of the elastic member is accommodated between said protrusion and the side wall of the blind hole.
4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the inner body further comprises a protrusion at an end opposite the base section, wherein the inner body protrusion at least partially accommodates an end of the elastic member when the inner body is inside the outer body.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base section includes a notch configured to be manipulated by a user to cause rotation of the inner body relative outer body.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the notch extends across two lower radial ribs and the cylindrical body to allow manipulation of the inner body by a user with the use of a fingernail or a coin.
7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the base section has an essentially cylindrical shape including a plurality of longitudinal grooves, wherein the base section is configured to be manipulated with the user's fingers.
8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the outer body is formed from a first parts and a second part which can be assembled together to form an integral body.
9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the first part and the second part further comprises a plurality of teeth and recesses arranged at respective opposite side edges of the hollow body in such a manner that the plurality of teeth of the first part can be accommodated inside the plurality of recesses of the second part and the plurality of teeth of the second part can be accommodated inside the plurality of recesses of the first part thus forming an integral hollow body.
10. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first part and second part further comprises a projection arranged next to at least one of the radial ribs having a diameter smaller than inner diameter of hollow body but greater than diameter of the radial ribs.
11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is made from plastic material, such as acrylic, PET, PP, PC, nylon or a similar material having high resistance to impacts and is manufactured by injection molding, compression molding or three-dimensional printing.
12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is made from metal, such as aluminum, bronze, brass, steel or a similar material having strength sufficient to cause fractures to glass or ceramic materials and is manufactured by die casting or milling.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Aug 19, 2016
Date of Patent: Mar 16, 2021
Patent Publication Number: 20190185364
Inventor: Gabriel Trujillo Gonzalez (Mexico City)
Primary Examiner: Ghassem Alie
Application Number: 16/324,629
International Classification: C03B 33/06 (20060101); B02C 25/00 (20060101); B02C 23/00 (20060101);